An anonymous source claims that the next PlayStation console won't have backwards capability or play used games.

With rumors flying around from all sides about the next line up of next-gen consoles from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, a "credible source" has revealed to Kotaku several details about Sony's next PlayStation console. The PlayStation 4 is currently code-named the "Orbis", and will hit stores in late 2013 just in time for the holidays.

Kotaku's source stated that "select developers" have been receiving development kits for the new platform since the beginning of 2012, with the goal of having launch titles ready to go for 2013's holiday season. The new Sony platform will include a high end AMD x64 CPU and an AMD Southern Island GPU, supposedly allowing the Orbis to render games at resolutions up to 4096x2160, far beyond the capabilities of most current HDTVs. The Orbis will also allow users to play 3D games at full 1080p, a full 360p more than the PS3's current 720p resolution.

While the promise of super wickedly cool graphics does sound enticing, the Orbis' shiny hardware will apparently come at hefty price. Kotaku's source stated that the Orbis will not be backwards compatible with PS3 titles, and will also block gamers from playing used games.

Kotaku's source suggested that games shipped for the Orbis will either be PSN downloads or on a Blu-Ray disc, which will then be locked to a single PSN account and require users to have an active internet connection to play. It's believed that pre-owned games for the Orbis will have limited functionality (such as a demo mode) until a registration fee is paid, similar to how online passes must be purchased for used PS3 and Xbox 360 titles in order to access extra content like multiplayer.

As this is just a rumor, all of this information has to be taken with a grain of salt, but given Sony's prior attitude towards backwards compatibility, there may be a kernel of truth buried in there. Supposedly, Sony will lay all the rumors to rest at E3 this year, so we may just have to wait and see.

This makes me most skeptical, apart from all the other crap here. Sony said they wouldn't make the same mistake again as they did with the PS3... although with the way they released the Vita you never know.

"allowing the Orbis to render games at resolutions up to 4096x2160"

Just like the PS3 renders games at 1080P, ie only about 4% and they are nearly all PSN games. Besides I doubt we will have TVs like that for a long while, most high end monitors don't reach those resolutions.

I wouldn't be surprised. Much has been said that the new Xbox console will somehow have protection against used games as well.

See, this is something I don't understand. Gamers love Valve, they love Steam, they love EVERYTHING about Valve and Steam, and want digital distribution for everything, everywhere, often claiming they would love a steambox console or steam ON one of the other consoles. Then some news like this comes up, where Microsoft or Playstation starts talking about making their new console almost exclusively digital distribution, and everyone goes, oh hell no, their just trying to kill used game sales exclusively to kill used game sales. Steam doesn't have any type of used game market, and its hugely successful and held in such high regard. Why do we all love Steam so much, but then do nothing but complain about the loss of used games when an announcement like this is made? It makes little sense to me.

Iunno, I'm sure that I'm over generalizing here, and not seeing the whole picture/all the issues, but, well, there it is.

Oh, but the backwards compatibility thing, yea, it kinda sucks. I'm sure there's some hardware excuse for why they can't do it, when really it'll likely just be oh, well, you can download them off the PSN to play still, so, again, buy your library, AGAIN. That's not nice. I'll keep my old PS3 that still plays PS2 games that I had to hunt down, thanks.

It's believed that pre-owned games for the Orbis will have limited functionality (such as a demo mode) until a registration fee is paid, similar to how online passes must be purchased for used PS3 and Xbox 360 titles in order to access extra content like multiplayer.

i see they really don't want to sell this thing, cause if that's true, i'll not be getting one

Ooooh this...sounds like a very bad idea actually. My friends and I like to trade games, let each other borrow them, so that would be out the window. Then there's the fact that it won't be able to play PS3 games, so what am I supposed to do with my PS3 and all its software? My TV only has so many connection ports. Then there's the fact that I like to have a physical copy of my game, not just rent it. I lost TMNT because I had to get a new console, and I didn't re-download it before they took it away.I'm starting to think, if all these rumors about the next generation of game consoles turns out to be true, I'm going to be done with gaming. I'll have to wait and see I suppose.

Raijha:See, this is something I don't understand. Gamers love Valve, they love Steam, they love EVERYTHING about Valve and Steam, and want digital distribution for everything, everywhere, often claiming they would love a steambox console or steam ON one of the other consoles. Then some news like this comes up, where Microsoft or Playstation starts talking about making their new console almost exclusively digital distribution, and everyone goes, oh hell no, their just trying to kill used game sales exclusively to kill used game sales. Steam doesn't have any type of used game market, and its hugely successful and held in such high regard. Why do we all love Steam so much, but then do nothing but complain about the loss of used games when an announcement like this is made? It makes little sense to me.

People love Steam so much because it offers advantages in addition to those restrictions. I can access my Steam library from any computer. Steam backs up my saves and offers great deals on games I might not have tried. Also, Steam doesn't require stable internet to play games. This rumor posits that Sony has taken all the worst aspects of PC gaming and made them even worse without adding any value whatsoever.

On Topic: I don't believe a word of this. If it's true, expect Sony to swiftly and gracelessly exit the console race within a year or so of launch.

Raijha:I wouldn't be surprised. Much has been said that the new Xbox console will somehow have protection against used games as well.

See, this is something I don't understand. Gamers love Valve, they love Steam, they love EVERYTHING about Valve and Steam, and want digital distribution for everything, everywhere, often claiming they would love a steambox console or steam ON one of the other consoles. Then some news like this comes up, where Microsoft or Playstation starts talking about making their new console almost exclusively digital distribution, and everyone goes, oh hell no, their just trying to kill used game sales exclusively to kill used game sales. Steam doesn't have any type of used game market, and its hugely successful and held in such high regard. Why do we all love Steam so much, but then do nothing but complain about the loss of used games when an announcement like this is made? It makes little sense to me.

Iunno, I'm sure that I'm over generalizing here, and not seeing the whole picture/all the issues, but, well, there it is.

You are missing a few issues. In part, it's about variety; if a Steam console were made, it would compete with disc-based consoles, not supplant them the way a new MS or Sony console would. If VALVE does it, folks who would don't have a good internet connection, or want used games, or whatever, still have choices. If the existing big console manufacturers do this, then these people are screwed.

Not to mention, VALVE has always taken a very pro-consumer approach to DRM. Yes, it's download based, yes you need an internet connection, but you can do things you can't do with other DRM solutions. You can go to a friend's machine, log in as yourself, download your game, and continue right where you left off, as if you were at home on your own machine. It's a pretty safe bet that an equivalent Sony scheme would tie purchases to devices, so as not to allow such a thing.

What's more, in the example given in this rumor (which I don't believe for a second, by the way), even physical copies lack resale value. Steam games can get away with that because once you activate your physical copy, you gain full redownload privileges from the online store. But in the Sony/MS way of doing things, you need the disc AND the account to play; if you resell the disc, the buyer has to pay extra to register it, even though there's not an additional usable copy of the game in circulation and you can no longer play it the way you could a Steam game.

tl;dr - People are willing to put up with a lot more from VALVE because VALVE doesn't actively work at devaluing their products and cheating customers.

A home console not only effectively blocking used games but also being intergrated with always-online DRM is the stupidest concept ive heard about since the rumor about the Nextbox also blocking used games.

But then given that the Vita runs mostly on DD, the blocking used games thing might have some credibility.

As for backwards compatibility, i think this only applies to physical discs, because i doubt Sony would spend 3 years of bringing PS1 and PS2 classics to the Playstation Store only to render all that work for nothing.

Either that or the internal division while that stupid american was in charge there was worse than i thought.

I wonder if I could make an anonymous tip from a reliable source and make news like this. i mean come on. The whole display thing just makes me think its a hoax or unreliable info. I mean it takes time to develop something like this so I'm sure there have at least been basic plans drawn up and maybe even basic prototypes made but Im sure nothing is set in stone yet.

You're welcome? I suppose? Anyway, I did say I was just taking a very broad look at it, and admitted I was likely missing a lot of the issues. I appreciate people taking the time to point out those issues that I may have missed. Helps me get more educated on the differences and restrictions that can occur. So thank you, actually. :)

Potentially, and I'm not hurling this out as fact, but what exactly are most people going to do if both the next Xbox and PS console have anti-used game functions?

Absolutely nothing. They'll bitch and moan about how it's not fair and it screws up people who can't access the internet all the time, and then they'll buy the damn thing anyway because [insert friend/family/co-worker] here bought it and it looks awesome, just like people do with games and protests.

They know they can get away with doing it, so why the hell wouldn't they?

This makes me most skeptical, apart from all the other crap here. Sony said they wouldn't make the same mistake again as they did with the PS3... although with the way they released the Vita you never know.

You mean that device that was announced at the exact same price as its completely technologically inferior competitor?

Quickest way for Sony to 'kill' themselves is to pull the same crap with a PS4 as they did the PS3.

You have a point but seeing how they've handled the Vita, this kind of sounds like the direction they're going in.It feels like an Onion article: sounds preposterous but somewhat likely. I'm not saying any of it's true or not, but I wouldn't be surprised. It seems to go in line with what seems like their current goal: to gradually sink the playstation brand into the sea.

This makes me most skeptical, apart from all the other crap here. Sony said they wouldn't make the same mistake again as they did with the PS3... although with the way they released the Vita you never know.

You mean that device that was announced at the exact same price as its completely technologically inferior competitor?

No I mean the device that was priced outside of what the public wanted to pay for a dedicated gaming device.

This makes me most skeptical, apart from all the other crap here. Sony said they wouldn't make the same mistake again as they did with the PS3... although with the way they released the Vita you never know.

You mean that device that was announced at the exact same price as its completely technologically inferior competitor?

No I mean the device that was priced outside of what the public wanted to pay for a dedicated gaming device.

no backwards compatibility and essentially nothing more than a processing power upgrade as higher resolutions aren't available currently for console gamers, they're gonna have to REALLY convince me that i need to buy this with more than mr kevin butler saying how awesome and superior it is

also i don't personally buy used games (usually) but restricting all users w/ fees for used games is utterly stupid can't tell you how many games i've bought over the years after a friend let me borrow one or they brought a game over and said "wow that's awesome I gotta buy that" they're restricting their user base just to make a few more dollars... oh wait forgot rules of corporate profit:step 1) screw over your customersstep 2) profitstep 3) repeat

Raijha:I wouldn't be surprised. Much has been said that the new Xbox console will somehow have protection against used games as well.

See, this is something I don't understand. Gamers love Valve, they love Steam, they love EVERYTHING about Valve and Steam, and want digital distribution for everything, everywhere, often claiming they would love a steambox console or steam ON one of the other consoles. Then some news like this comes up, where Microsoft or Playstation starts talking about making their new console almost exclusively digital distribution, and everyone goes, oh hell no, their just trying to kill used game sales exclusively to kill used game sales. Steam doesn't have any type of used game market, and its hugely successful and held in such high regard. Why do we all love Steam so much, but then do nothing but complain about the loss of used games when an announcement like this is made? It makes little sense to me.

Iunno, I'm sure that I'm over generalizing here, and not seeing the whole picture/all the issues, but, well, there it is.

Oh, but the backwards compatibility thing, yea, it kinda sucks. I'm sure there's some hardware excuse for why they can't do it, when really it'll likely just be oh, well, you can download them off the PSN to play still, so, again, buy your library, AGAIN. That's not nice. I'll keep my old PS3 that still plays PS2 games that I had to hunt down, thanks.

Couldn't agree more my friend.

OT: I get the industry has a general dislike for the used games market, but this also, logically speaking, removes the ability to rent games / trade with friends and so forth. I mean, if it is true that this is due to digital distribution, then why not allow us to still play physical copies as well? You know, like my computer with Steam already does? That way if I want to by the physical copy or borrow a game or whatever, I can (since some older PC games are cool with that). This seems like a very limiting feature and I hope it isn't true that Sony (and Microsoft) aren't really considering putting all their eggs in one basket for the nextgen.

Also, seriously? Not bringing back the backwards compatibility the PS2 and early PS3's and the 360's and the older Wii's had? The feature that made upgrading the nextgen of console's worth it at the time? Now I'm expected to buy the PS4 and keep my PS3 as well, taking up my limited space in my tiny apartment, or just rebuy the whole library again? I have to say, pretty disappointed with this news all-around, and it just comes off as pretentious that they bring up the visual capabilities (potentially to distract us from the not so great news).

I call rumor for the sake of attention. If it comes out later that only some of this is true, we'll be relieved, and it will feel like our negativity had an impact. Can't wait to get a loan to be able to afford it, though. My lender should love that as a reason.

Raijha:I wouldn't be surprised. Much has been said that the new Xbox console will somehow have protection against used games as well.

See, this is something I don't understand. Gamers love Valve, they love Steam, they love EVERYTHING about Valve and Steam, and want digital distribution for everything, everywhere, often claiming they would love a steambox console or steam ON one of the other consoles. Then some news like this comes up, where Microsoft or Playstation starts talking about making their new console almost exclusively digital distribution, and everyone goes, oh hell no, their just trying to kill used game sales exclusively to kill used game sales. Steam doesn't have any type of used game market, and its hugely successful and held in such high regard. Why do we all love Steam so much, but then do nothing but complain about the loss of used games when an announcement like this is made? It makes little sense to me.

Iunno, I'm sure that I'm over generalizing here, and not seeing the whole picture/all the issues, but, well, there it is.

Oh, but the backwards compatibility thing, yea, it kinda sucks. I'm sure there's some hardware excuse for why they can't do it, when really it'll likely just be oh, well, you can download them off the PSN to play still, so, again, buy your library, AGAIN. That's not nice. I'll keep my old PS3 that still plays PS2 games that I had to hunt down, thanks.

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its more simple than your making it out to be the people loving steam aren't the people who are predominantly interested in a new generation of consoles, sure it would be neat, but overall its an aside to our primary gaming tool.

The people moaning are people who haven't really experienced steam or its benefits so are understandably wearisome.

Foolproof:You mean that device that was announced at the exact same price as its completely technologically inferior competitor?

No I mean the device that was priced outside of what the public wanted to pay for a dedicated gaming device.

Oh, so the device Sony never actually made?

The PS3 came out half a year after the xbawks, and it costed around 100-200 more than the xbawks launch price. i remember seeing ps3s brand new for 800 euros(with the big HDDs) and thinking WOW that is way too much.

WMDogma:An anonymous source claims that the next PlayStation console won't have backwards capability or play used games.

...allowing the Orbis to render games at resolutions up to 4096x2160, far beyond the capabilities of most current HDTVs.

You know what? Sony are just going out of their way to make gaming difficult for everyone. In this scenario not only would I need to keep my PS2 to play PS1/PS2 games, I'll need to keep my PS3 to play PS3 games AS WELL as having the PS4 to play... ah you get the picture.